Effects of a neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist in the acute phase after thoracic spinal cord injury in a rat model

This study investigates how blocking a specific receptor (neurokinin-1 receptor or NK1R) affects spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. The receptor is targeted because it plays a role in inflammation after injury. The researchers used a drug called EUC-001 to block NK1R and observed its impact on edema, blood-spinal cord barrier integrity, inflammation, and functional recovery in rats with SCI. The findings suggest that blocking NK1R with EUC-001 might help protect the blood-spinal cord barrier, reduce inflammation, and potentially improve functional recovery in the early stages after SCI.

• 1
  Blocking NK1R with EUC-001 reduced the invasion of T-lymphocytes and the number of apoptotic cells in the injured spinal cord.
• 2
  EUC-001 treatment showed a trend towards reduced fibrinogen leakage, endothelial and microglial activation, CS-GAG deposition, and astrogliosis.
• 3
  CatWalk gait analysis indicated an early onset of recovery in several parameters of locomotion with EUC-001 treatment, suggesting improved muscle tone and locomotion.